CL: Chapter 17 – Golden Week, Part 5

After our first night in our house, I felt uneasy and quite worried. I couldn’t help but notice the closeness brewing between Kichirō-san and Ryū-senpai. I can tell that they have started dating but Kichirō-san is still denying it.

I know that I have no rights to interfere as I am just a friend. If I had been direct about my feelings at first, then I would have had the chance to be there beside him first (Kichirō) instead of Ryū-senpai.

It was my original intention to invite him alone, back here to Sapporo, so that I can confess my true feelings for him. My plan failed when the Senpais came with us.

I guess I will just have to let it go rather than ruin the special bond that we were able to create… I will just stay beside him… As his best friend.

For the past three to four days, we have been busy traveling and sightseeing in Sapporo. We went to the Odori Park[1], the former Hokkaido Government Office[2], the Sapporo Beer Museum[3], the Historical Village of Hokkaido[4], and other famous places in my hometown. I made sure that my guests would enjoy their time here in Hokkaido, most especially Kichirō-san. Even though I was feeling down, I acted jolly in front of everyone because I don’t want to ruin the holiday spirit.

(For footnotes 1-4, please refer to the bottom of the page)

I stayed distant to him for the past few days but I made sure that he wouldn’t notice it. Besides, Ryū-senpai has been standing on guard so that neither me nor Ken-senpai can approach Kichirō-san alone.

What’s making my situation worse is Ken-senpai, who is always on the go to hit on me. I don’t really like him but he kept on insisting himself. I can’t tell if he is serious or if he is just playing with me. He is the type of guy that I really don’t like. Sometimes, I feel guilty about the things I say to him but what can I do? He started it.

It’s now Thursday and it’s Kenpō Kinenbi[5]. We decided to stay home and just played all day in the swimming pool. After we got bored with the pool, we hung out in our game room. I played billiards and darts with the Senpais while Kichirō-san played the PlayStation 2 enthusiastically. Not only is he an anime and manga freak, he is also fond of playing video games. It’s really refreshing to be with my friends during the holidays. Even though my family did not make it back, I still have them to keep me company.

([5] Constitution Memorial Day [憲法記念日] is a national holiday in Japan. It takes place on May third in celebration of the promulgation of the 1947 Constitution of Japan.)

I sat on the couch as I was feeling a bit tired. The others continued playing. I was in a daze thinking about how lonely I was with my life. I’ve been single for since like forever and my family was too busy with our business. I used to be close with my sister Sakura when we were younger but as we grew up, we started to drift away from each other. I guess she was too attached to her peers.

Now that I found myself a best friend, I still felt lonely as he was being taken away by someone else. I was about to take a short nap when someone startled me.

“Hey, Ki-kun!” the familiar voice said as he sat beside me.

“Yes, Kichirō-san?” I asked. I was too tired to smile.

“Is there anything wrong? I can feel that something’s bothering you lately. You may have been smiling and giving off that radiant aura but I could tell that there’s something wrong with you,” he pried.

“Huh? No I’m fine. I guess I’m just feeling a bit under the weather lately,” I worked hard to conceal the truth.

“Is it because your family did not go home?” he went on asking.

“Well… I’m used to it. They have been like that since I was young. I never had any hope that they would be able to fulfill any of the promises that they make,” I honestly answered.

While I was seated comfortably on the couch, I felt a warm hand touch mine. It was Kichirō-san’s.

“Ki-kun, don’t be sad. I’m always here for you. I’m thankful to have you as my friend, not to mention, as my sworn brother. You can tell me anything and I would willingly listen to whatever you will say,” he calmly said while looking me in the eye. “I may not be able to give you any advise but at least you will be able to vent out what you’re feeling inside. It’s not good for the health to dwell on suppressed feelings. Just let it go and I know you would feel a lot better,” he said then gave off a warm and tender smile.

I blushed when he said that. Although it was not the confession that my heart and mind has been yearning for, I was happy to have him beside me like this. I could stay forever like this… as his friend.

I nodded in response and smiled back at him.

I decided not to confess and just forget about this unrequited love. Someone better might be there in store for me.

★彡

Ken’s POV

I tried everything I could but this kid seems to keep on rejecting me. I did everything that worked with the girls that I dated before and none of them worked!

God, I’m on the edge of giving up! He has been avoiding me since we got here. I wanted to be nice but I just couldn’t help but to hit on him. This joke would then lead into endless bickering. I know that this annoyed him a lot but I want him to get to know the real me. I don’t want to pretend to be someone who I am not.

I don’t know how to get his attention. It’s my first time being attracted to a guy so I think I’m fucking this up.

I want to ask for an advice from Ishikawa since he knows Sakaguchi more than anyone else. It just so happens that my “King of the Jungle” best friend has been guarding his precious little wifey all day. I want to kick his ass sometimes but I couldn’t because I know he’s the guy you can’t mess with.

We went to a lot of places and I enjoyed it. It’s not my first time here in Hokkaido but there’s a lot of places that I have never been to before. I was so pleased. Sakaguchi is a good tour guide in my opinion.

I would have enjoyed it better though if Ryū and Ishikawa did not come with us. My best friend is not the type to join vacations with others. I know that he was just forced by Ishikawa, who was forced by Sakaguchi because he didn’t want to end up being alone with me.

I really envied this couple a lot. Although they may not have confirmed what their status is, I can tell that they will end up being together. I wish I could too with Sakaguchi.

I have been true to my feelings. Yeah, I know I was vague but I was honest. He might have thought that I was playing with him since I always goofed around.

It’s divine intervention that is acting right now. I’m sure the heavens support my feelings for him. Before we go back to Kyoto, I will make sure that this love would not remain unrequited.

To be continued…

★彡

[1] Odori Park – (大通公園 Ōdōri Kōen) is a park located in the heart of Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Ōdōri (大通) means “large street” in Japanese. It stretches east to west through Nishi 1 chōme, Ōdōri to Nishi 12 chōme, Ōdōri (“Nishi” means west, and “chōme” is a block in Japanese), and divides the city into north and south sections.

[2] Former Hokkaido Government Office – include a conference room, a museum shop, a tourist information office, and a few historical exhibition rooms and libraries. Visitors can enter the building for free. Flower gardens and a pond are located in front of the building, which occasionally are designated as some event venues.

[3] Sapporo Beer Museum – (サッポロビール博物館 Sapporo Bīru Hakubutsukan) is a museum located in the Sapporo Garden Park in Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Registered as one of the Hokkaidō Heritage sites in 2004, the museum is the only beer museum in Japan.

[4] The Historical Village of Hokkaido – (北海道開拓の村 Hokkaidō Kaitaku no Mura) is an open-air museum in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. It opened in the Nopporo Shinrin Kōen Prefectural Natural Park in 1983. It includes fifty-two historical structures from the “frontier days” of the Meiji period to the Shōwa period that have been relocated and reconstructed or recreated, divided into four zones: town (with thirty-one buildings), fishing village (four buildings), farming village (fourteen buildings), and mountain village (three buildings).

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Hi everyone!

I’m sorry if this chapter may have been extra gloomy. Now the other two characters revealed their unrequited love for their special someone. The first chose to let go while the second chose to pursue his undying devotion for the other. Will Ken be successful in wooing Naoki? Please find out on the next chapter. He he. (^o^)

I actually have photos for the footnotes but I’m too lazy to upload them here. You can check on Wattpad for the full chapter with photos if you are interested. 🐰